CURF – Surfing Has Never Been So Easy

What is Curf?

CURF is a specialty watersports company, based out of Germany. They are looking to develop next-gen jetboards through the integration of rapidly-developing electric motors.

Simply put, CURF has designed an electrically powered, self-propelled, surfboard with eye-popping specs.

What is the problem?

Watersports is a fascinating industry. Over the years, inventors have displayed incredible ingenuity through their creations. However, they have often been restricted by the technology of their time.

People enjoy power, speed, and convenience. These offerings are woefully scarce with personal water vehicles, unfortunately. The closest thing you will get to this is a sea-doo – not exactly cheap or convenient.

With the rise of electric motors over the past decade, has come a plethora of new applications that can benefit from it – smaller form factor, high power, efficiency, the list goes on. As a result, only now have electric motors developed to the point where their integration within a personal water based vehicle is feasible.

With new forms of technology at our disposal, who will be next in revolutionizing personal water sports?

How Will Curf Solve It?

CURF looks to bring excitement back to watersports. To achieve this they are capitalizing on the rise of new technology. The result is a self-propelled electric surfboard that looks like fantastic fun.

Just take a look at a few of the e-surfboards specifications:

Top Speed – 38mph / 61kmh

Acceleration – 0 to 30mph in 4.2sec

Usage time – 40 minutes

These boards use swappable batteries, so that there is never any downtime. When out of juice, simply swap in a fully charged battery, and get back on the water!

In addition, weighing in at only 60lbs, the e-surfboard looks to be a convenient way for anyone to enjoy water sports.

Team?

The team at Curf is small, but effective. Here are those leading the way behind the fun-loving company:

Whats next?

These e-surfboards could be just the first step in a line of products. For instance, the electric motors, swappable batteries, and other technology put into them could easily be utilized in other form factors. A self-propelled kayak sounds like a fun time!

CURF is actively looking for investors. To fund the continued development of their product, the team will be utilizing NeuFund in early 2019. Through use of the NeuFund platform, CURF will hold an STO. In doing so, the team will be able to capitalize on a new means of fundraising as the digital securities market begins to boom. This STO will see investors receive equity within the company in return for their contributions.

To date, CURF has already received multiple seed investments, making the likelihood of a bright future even more probable – Dercks-Kohler is one such investor.

Commentary

“We are mastering the complex balance between motor, controller, propulsion and battery system. Therefore we are already shipping out boards. With the incredible innovation power of our team we will continue to stay ahead of the competition.” — Carsten Höltig, Co-founder CURF Technology GmbH

“I am fascinated by the acceleration and speed of CURF e-jetboards. Every ride is for me like a fountain of youth. You can leverage the CURF propulsion technology for other products such as e-canoes and e-tender boats. The founders have convinced me with their combination of long-standing product know-how and international management experience. “ — Frank Köhler, Family office Dercks-Köhler

To learn more about the safety measures, and e-surfboard ease of use, check out the CURF website HERE.

Joshua Stoner is a multi-faceted working professional. He has a great interest in the revolutionary 'blockchain' technology. In addition to this, he is a licenced Paramedic in Nova Scotia, Canada. As such, he can provide emergency care/medicine to any situation necessitating it.

VMC – Connecting the Dots of Urban Mobility

Who is VMC?

VMC is a Dutch company, looking to disrupt the mobility sector through the use of blockchain technologies.

VMC envisions a future where payment processes and usage of varying types of transportation becomes a seamless process.

The company was founded in 2017, and has since successfully developed and implemented their working platform. VMC was able to make waves in 2018 through partnerships which saw the launch of the world’s first blockchain powered bus, and blockchain enabled electric scooters.

VMC intends to utilize a two-token ecosystem, in which they distribute a utility token alongside a security token.

What is the problem?

The mobility sector is inefficient and costly. Many of the commonly used transportation services are operationally segregated. Each will use different payment providers, which more often than not are unable to provide data-sets for usage towards service improvements.

A platform/service is needed that can unify the payment process between a variety of services. A commuter needs to be able to rent a bicycle to ride to a bus station, to drive to a subway, to take them across town – all through the use of a singular, cheap, and efficient platform. Furthermore, this platform needs to provide data-sets to the companies supporting it.

How will VMC Solve it?

In their continued bid to disrupt the sector, VMC has recently announced their intent to host a security token offering. The goal of this event is to raise up to a hard cap of €5 million. This funding is earmarked primarily for use towards the continued research and development required for growth of the company.

These security tokens are digital securities. This means that token holders are entitled to revenue shares garnered from platform usage. It is important to note that these tokens differ from their utility token.

The company’s utility tokens, VAI, function as a stable coin. These are used within the platform to facilitate the payment of services, negating the need for a payment processor. As this token is exclusively used to access services through the platform, VMC is able to gather detailed analytics. This data is valuable to service providers, as they are able to gain a better understanding of their customers, and structure accordingly around them.

The platform itself has been designed to appeal to anyone. It allows for travellers to not only plan their travel, but book and pay for it as well. Throughout this process, privacy is maintained, along with convenience through mobile ticketing.

Commentary

We reached out to the team at VMC to get a better understanding of the event. Jochem Verheul, CEO of VMC had the following to say.

Q: Why has VMC chosen to host an STO rather than traditional means of fundraising?

A: “With a stable token for the transactions/travel and a security token for the investment, we can capture the network effect in the security token, without harming the stability of the travel token. Distributing a share of revenue fits the principles of the blockchain industry.”

When asked about potential expansion, Jochem Verheul indicated that, “We have already opened an office in Singapore!”

Team?

The team at VMC is comprised of various accomplished individuals. Below are those that are leading the charge.

Whats Next?

Beyond the security token offering, VMC has a busy schedule ahead of them. In a few short weeks Jochem Verheul is scheduled to be a speaker at SGINNOVATE – a conference focusing on ‘blockchain technology implementations in mobility. Verhaul promises an announcement at that time, adding, “We are doing some cool stuff here.”

For a more detailed look at VMC, check out our token listing page. There, you will find STO details, and links to information packets such as a whitepaper.

Almond – Be the Change the Earth Needs

What is ‘Almond’

Almond is a blockchain-based company, looking to ensure a bright future for the Earth. The company offers a platform geared toward incentivising consumers to develop spending habits with an eye on sustainability. The platform is mobile-based, and can be used on both IOS and Android systems.

This free platform looks to usher in a brighter future through incentive tasks such as:

Buying Challenges

Thoughtful tips to utilize sustainable goods and services

Action Challenges

Tailoring habitual actions such as exercise, showering, etc., to reflect a sustainable attitude

Offsetting Challenges

Encouragement of participation in carbon offsetting activities.

By gamifying and incentivizing the completion of such tasks, it is hoped that habits will change, and we will no longer simply be ignorant to the issues at hand. Rather, we will partake in sustainable activities by default.

What is the Problem?

We live in a throwaway world. Most of us are simply ignorant to the amount of waste created every day, through normal mundane tasks and activities. This waste is often justified in the name of convenience. While some companies have begun to warm to the idea of sustainability (no more ‘one use’ items), it is still a woefully underdeveloped trait within most industries.

A large part of the problem is simply a lack of transparency afforded to consumers. People are not often ignorant due to their own choosing – you can’t know what you don’t know. The consumer goods industry needs a user friendly and effective means of communicating to the world, the level of sustainability in its products. Hopefully, by doing so, consumers can make an active choice to buy ‘green’.

How will Almond Solve It?

Almond intends to solve the problems discussed above through the continued development of their platform. To ensure constant development, the company has decided to host their own security token offering. This fund raising event will be facilitated by TokenMarket – a UK based issuance platform with a strong track record in crowdfunding.

During the course of the sale, the team at Almond intends to raise £2.4 million. They indicate that these funds will not only cover their released roadmap, but give the company a 2 year runway to achieve their goals.

Known as Almond Shares, these digital securities represent an asset that combines the perks of blockchain – transparency, immutability, efficiency, etc. – along with those of traditional investments. As such, these tokens represent not only ownership rights, but dividends as well.

Naturally, as these are digital securities being sold through the funding event, participation comes with restriction. To learn more about eligibility, make sure to visit the Almond site HERE.

The Team?

Drawing upon their experience in a variety of industries, the following individuals are well poised to ensure the bright future of Almond.

Commentary

“Almond is designed to ensure that those who are shopping sustainably and truly changing their behaviour are rewarded for doing so. TokenMarket’s vast experience in the world of token issuance, advisory and technology meant that working with them was an easy decision. We are excited about our partnership with TokenMarket and the future ahead.”

“Sustainable consumerism is an issue that we feel needs to be addressed. Almond’s work is truly pioneering the way in which people can shop sustainably, incentivising them to know more about what they are buying and using blockchain technology to track its supply chain. TokenMarket is proud to be working with a company that can truly help to change the way in which consumers shop.”

Whats Next?

Those at Almond have fleshed out a roadmap that takes them from the now, into 2020. Here is a brief look at a few key markers along their path.

Globex Licences ATS Platform to First Growth Funds Limited

Platform Licensing

It was recently announced by Globex, that they have successfully licenced their software ATS platform to First Growth Fund Limited. This platform is tailored specifically for dealing with blockchain-based digital securities.

Being tailored for digital securities, the platform was built with the goal of offering end-to-end services for token issuers. This means token creation, issuance, compliance, distribution, and management.

The success and totality of the platform cemented First Growth Funds’ belief in not only their products, but Globex itself. With this in mind, the aforementioned announcement also indicated that First Growth Funds Limited has purchased equity within the Globex.

Commentary

In their press release, representative from each company spoke on the licensure discussed here today. The following is what each had to say on the matter.

“Capital raising using the blockchain has proven to be a massive opportunity for business and doing so in a compliant manner is in the interest of the issuer, investor and investment advisory firm. First Growth Funds believes in the importance of such an end-to-end compliance platform and, coupled with their access to institutional and wholesale investors, the sky’s the limit for their clients.”

“We see these new exclusive partnerships as an opportunity to support local companies wanting access to funding in new markets. We can also help enable and support local investment banks and advisory firms to gain liquidity of their illiquid assets. Regulatory compliance is the number one topic in this sector of late and will be even more important as the market matures. We are really looking forward to collaborating with Globex and leveraging this amazing blockchain technology to compliantly raise capital for our issuers.”

Horizon Globex

Horizon Globex is a software company situated in the heart of ‘Crypto Valley’ – Zug, Switzerland. They have been in operation since 2010. In the time since, they have grown alongside the crypto/blockchain industry, while developing solutions for investors.

Drawing upon previous experience as a CEO at Abbey Technology, Brian Collins decided to found Horizon Globex. Company operations have been overseen by Brian Collins ever since, as he occupies the role of CEO.

First Growth Funds

First Growth Funds Limited is an investment company, based out of Australia. Fund management is overseen by a board of directors. The following four individuals, comprising the board, boast a vast amount of experience in various sectors.

Anoosh Manzoori: Executive Director

Michael Clarke: Non-Executive Director

Atham Lekkas: Non-Executive Director

Geoff Barnes: Non-Executive Chairman

It should be noted that, to date, First Growth Funds is the only investment fund listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, which is licensed to deal with cryptocurrencies.

In Other News

The digital securities sector shows no signs of slowing down. This is made obvious by the increasing amount of articles detailing digital securities as one of the hottest emerging trends. With this in mind, here are a few articles detailing recent partnerships and developments with the sector at large.